To power an electric vehicle charging station at the Sustainable Student Farm, this project will install rooftop solar on the Fruit Farm Admin building. 

The Center for a Sustainable Environment creates reports on activities, when requested by administration.  These reports are available here in the project history link.

The Office of Sustainability (OS) was charged with communicating and collaborating around
sustainability initiatives for the Urbana‐Champaign campus. The scope of the OS encompasses all facets
of the University’s mission: education, research, and engagement, as well as campus operations. As
such, the OS works closely with many diverse groups to further sustainability. Fortunately, the OS has
developed critical relationships with many to aide in completing its multi‐faceted charge.

Clemson University’s Construction Science and Management Department conducted a research survey that evaluates the social, economic, and environmental aspects of green construction. The research aims to identify the primary factors driving the ‘greening’ of University facilities. To accomplish the objective of this study they asked key personnel of the nation’s top Universities to provide feedback regarding their institution’s approach and philosophy.  At the University of Illinois, the survey was completed by Helen Coleman, the Director of Capital Programs at Urbana.

 

All campus dining halls have a trayless dining program, in which trays are not available in dining halls. Trayless dining saves 42,100 gallons of water in dining facilities each day, and 929,122 gallons a year.

The Illini Union's One Book, One Campus program centers around providing a shared experience for our community through reading the same book and engaging in dialogue to explore various themes. Lectures, book discussion groups, and many other activities will guide participants to learn about themselves and experience a unique sense of community.

The 2011-2013 book selection was Annie Leonard's 'The Story of Stuff,' which is about the harmful effects of excessive consumption in the United States. 

 In order to achieve the next potable water conservation goal of reducing use by 40 percent from 2008 to 2025 the University has begun to look at the 63 miles of water distribution lines which provide potable water to the campus. The Utilities division performed a survey of the water lines owned by the university in May 2012. This survey determined where there are undetected water main and water service leaks in the university system which will allow unaccounted for flow to be reduced and conserve water and money.

The trend away from outdoor play in children is having a significant impact on the health of today's youth, as well as their stewardship and interest in the environment. Take a Child Outside Week aims to combat this trend through a series of events to be held September 24-30, 2013.

The northeast corner of the Orchard Downs complex is a prime location for a sustainable land-use demonstration. The housing complexes at this corner were demolised in the late 1990s. A diverse canopy of mature trees, including red oak, sycamore, sweet gum, tulip tree, and jack pine, and grassy "no-mow" area have since grown in. The land is an underutilized educational, recreational, research, and ecological opportunity for the University.

The goal of the Illinois Sustainable Food Project (ISFP) is to further collaboration between the production activities of the Sustainable Student Farm (SSF); the teaching, research, and outreach activities at the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition Pilot Processing Plant (FSHN-PPP); and University Housing Dining Services' goal of increasing procurement of locally grown foods. This project supported the procurement of key equipment necessary for processing tomatoes and other produce into purees and sauces at large scale for use in commercial food applications.